title: Buspirone challenge: preliminary evidence for a role for central 5-HT1a receptor function in impulsive aggressive behavior in humans.
abstract: The prolactin (PRL) response to challenge with buspirone hydrochloride, a serotonin1a (5-HT1a) receptor agonist, was examined in 5 healthy male volunteers and in 10 healthy male and female patients with primary DSM-III personality disorder. In healthy volunteers, pretreatment with the nonselective 5-HT receptor antagonist, metergoline (4 mg p.o.) completely suppressed the maximal PRL response to buspirone challenge. Pretreatment with the nonselective beta-adrenergic/5-HT1-like antagonist, pindolol suppressed the maximal PRL response to buspirone challenge depending upon dose (i.e., between 49 to 90% suppression at best dose). In personality disorder patients, PRL responses to buspirone challenge correlated inversely with self-assessed "irritability" (r = -.76, n = 10, p less than .01). These data suggest that the PRL response to buspirone challenge reflects the responsivity of 5-HT1a receptors in the limbic-hypothalamus in humans and that reduced sensitivity of these receptors is associated with an important component of impulsive aggressive behaviors in personality disorder patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical College of Pennsylvania, Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, Philadelphia 19129.
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Coccaro
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gabriel
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Siever
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects*; D002065:Buspirone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008711:Metergoline / Q000494:pharmacology; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D010869:Pindolol / Q000494:pharmacology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D008711:Metergoline; D011388:Prolactin; D010869:Pindolol; D002065:Buspirone